Oklahoma lawmakers approve performance audit bill

Friday

May 19, 2017 at 9:18 AM

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Legislators have approved a bill that would allow performance audits of Oklahoma's largest state agencies.

The measure calls for a commission to perform audits that focus on policies and procedures at 20 agencies that received the most state funding, including the Health Care Authority, Education Department and Department of Human Services, The Oklahoman reported (http://bit.ly/2rviDOp ).

Each agency would be audited every four years and would be analyzed on its economy, efficiency, effectiveness and compliance of policies, management, fiscal affairs and operations.

"I think it would probably open peoples' eyes to the plight that schools are in at this time, and the amount of money that's required to go to fixed costs and other things that have increased over the last decade as per-pupil funding has decreased," said Shawn Hime, the executive director of the State School Board Association.

In 2016, the Education Department received $2.4 billion.

Democrat Rep. David Perryman said the audits would likely show that the state agencies are underfunded.

"I think that it's a waste of money," Perryman said. "It's a waste of state resources to set these performance audits up when all there are are urban legends about waste in Oklahoma state government."

Republican Rep. John Montgomery said the bill aims to "find waste or improve the services we're delivering."

"With this kind of a deal, it could go both ways," said Montgomery.

The bill now heads to Gov. Mary Fallin.

Never miss a story

Choose the plan that's right for you.
Digital access or digital and print delivery.